“Everyone is a bit scared.” Said the horse. “But we are less scared together.”
Charlie Mackey
Do Patti: Raanjhan
Having attended so many funerals from early age, I’ve seen many cold, lifeless bodies. Perhaps because of these experiences, I’m also of an opinion that we all need that one companion in our life — who’d stand by us. With us.
No question asked.
Effortlessly.
Willingly, and
Heartfully!
‘One’, … one is sufficient.
And, to be able to earn that one friend,
that one utterly special soul
is — in my honest opinion a matter of pure luck.
It is also an underestimated fortune.
At times also easily overlooked, easily missed.
This friend could be your parents,
your siblings,
your partner,
your best friend,
your son and daughter,
your grand parents,
your cousins, nephews, or someone once a complete stranger.
Do yourself a favor, let this person know that she or he is your person!
Learn to enjoy and appreciate the process… Because you are going to spend far more time on the actual journey than with those all too brief moments of triumph at the end.
Coach Christopher Sommer
Anuv Jain – JO TUM MERE HO
Tim ferris (who has been one of my many mentors since early 2015) writes:
An email from Coach Sommer I revisit often:
Hi Tim,
Patience. Far too soon to expect strength improvements. Strength improvements [for a movement like this] take a minimum of 6 weeks. Any perceived improvements prior to that are simply the result of improved synaptic facilitation. In plain English, the central nervous system simply became more efficient at that particular movement with practice. This is, however, not to be confused with actual strength gains.
Dealing with the temporary frustration of not making progress is an integral part of the path towards excellence. In fact, it is essential and something that every single elite athlete has had to learn to deal with. If the pursuit of excellence was easy, everyone would do it.
In fact, this impatience in dealing with frustration is the primary reason that most people fail to achieve their goals. Unreasonable expectations timewise, resulting in unnecessary frustration, due to a perceived feeling of failure. Achieving the extraordinary is not a linear process.
The secret is to show up, do the work, and go home.
A blue collar work ethic married to indomitable will. It is literally that simple. Nothing interferes. Nothing can sway you from your purpose. Once the decision is made, simply refuse to budge. Refuse to compromise.
And accept that quality long-term results require quality long-term focus. No emotion. No drama. No beating yourself up over small bumps in the road. Learn to enjoy and appreciate the process. This is especially important because you are going to spend far more time on the actual journey than with those all too brief moments of triumph at the end.
Certainly celebrate the moments of triumph when they occur. More importantly, learn from defeats when they happen. In fact, if you are not encountering defeat on a fairly regular basis, you are not trying hard enough. And absolutely refuse to accept less than your best.
Throw out a timeline. It will take what it takes.
If the commitment is to a long-term goal and not to a series of smaller intermediate goals, then only one decision needs to be made and adhered to. Clear, simple, straightforward. Much easier to maintain than having to make small decision after small decision to stay the course when dealing with each step along the way. This provides far too many opportunities to inadvertently drift from your chosen goal.
The single decision is one of the most powerful tools in the toolbox.
二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず translates to — One who chases after two rabbits will not even catch one.
Japanese Academy
And Then You – Greg Laswell
7 Japanese Concepts I learned today:
IKIGAI: Discover your purpose in life. Find something that you love, what you’re good at, and what the world needs, this would lead you to a fulfilling life.
KAIZEN: Focus on small improvements each day rather than trying to do everything at once. This approach leads to lasting success overtime and motivates you to take the next step.
OMOIYARI: Be mindful. A concept of empathy and compassion, where you anticipate and care for others’ feelings and needs, fostering harmony and understanding.
HARA HACHI BU: Stop eating when you’re 80% full, rather than stuffing yourself with food. This mindful approach will increase your energy. This concept is rooted in the idea of balance and self control.
SHINRIN-YOKU: Literally “forest bathing”, emphasizes the therapeutic effects spending time in nature it encourages immersing oneself in the sights, sound and smell of the forest to reduce stress and improve well-being.
WABI-SABI: Appreciation of imperfection. It values simplicity and beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay often accepting things as they are, rather than seeking to make them flawless.
SHOSHIN: Approach every task with a curiosity and openness of a beginner, as if it is your first time doing it, which encourages ongoing learning and growth without assumptions.
A guy in his early 60s pointing at the T-shirt I was wearing that time asked politely, “Do you know what the symbol is that you’re wearing?”.
Baffled. Surprised. I told him, “Oh! It’s buddha. Aaahh… they’re eyes of Buddha”. He went further to ask me, “May I know where you’re from?” to which I said, “I’m from Nepal (as we exchanged smiles).”
He added, “Oh! I went to Kathmandu (pronounced: Cat-man-do) one time and a guy told me that the nose in the shape of a question mark indeed entails — Question everything!”
I was like Wooowwholy Couu!!
Well, regardless of if it’s true or not.
The weight of the word does have a substance.
I remember returning home gratified thinking I learned something so powerful, and utterly useful that day!
Sometimes you just need to be selfish and take care of you. If they love you they’ll understand.
Robert Tew
End of the Line -VVE
I cry.
I cried last week as I was speaking with the reminiscing scent of the old shit-holes, the dark hardships,.. those ugly shit-storms I went through at a very early age.
Purely, purely driven by the hunger for a better life.
I wasn’t a big-shot in grades.
I wasn’t a perfect son. Don’t know if I was a good-enough brother.
But I for sure was selfish. I wanted to become the best version of myself in my own eyes. I cared less about the rest.
I still do.
For nothing came to me on a silver platter.
Not ever. Not today. Not anything. Not anytime.
Those small decisions I had made in my tiny brain since I was barely 15 years of age.
Those evident but unbeknownst mistakes I walked into because I had nobody teaching me shits.
My parents and guardians were busy putting off the fire that I had ignited (every now and then) . They never, never asked why I created one in the first place. I wish i was wise enough to ask the question myself.
Those pressing moments of deprivation, confusions, the feeling of being imposter albeit my resolve to do my best.
Those late night and early morning prayers I had started after the earthquake of April, 2015.
Those judgmental eyes for my inadequacies.
Those helping hands right just when I needed them.
In all sincerity, only if it were not for the books I picked by pure accident. If it were not for conversation with one-or-two genuinely good souls and finding out more about people I ought to listen to, or read from and follow through; I don’t know what would’ve been of me or the trajectory of my life –Whatever it means.
To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
Oscar Wilde
HEDEGAARD – GASOLINA & COCAINA
I was doing 180 pounds Dumbell Bench Press (90 pounds each hand) for my last Chest workout rep.
It has been a while I have been able to do 2/3 reps with that weight.
This time however, as I was holding those Dumbells on my lap before going all-in, a voice within screamed ‘Don’t you get it, this body is a temple. Respect her. Thank her. Bow if you have to. Freaking take care of her already.’
Well, I wasn’t sure what changed that evening when I had those train of thoughts pacing through my mind again and again.
Coming back to think of it, I believe because our mind can only make us want to take up that 180 pounds weight and when we are past the hesitation and pick that much amount of heaviness on us anyway, we’re all alone, we are all on our own and most importantly we solely and fully and only… only … and only rely on mere strength of our body.
When my grand mother passed away, I saw it all. Up close and I still vividly remember how vulnerable we can become when our body gives up on us.
Indeed. Our Body is a Temple.
You have to pray for her to be strong enough to beat the threshold you intend to put her through.
You have to nurture her with sleep, with essential nutrients and a delicate care.
And, next time when you decide to eat something or do things that is going to hurt her, think of moments when she did so much for you in your weakest, vulnerable days when you needed her the most.
Life’s full of shit. I am not complaining but merely saying the obvious. It’s okay.
~ Musicpervs
I will be there – Odessa
A lengthy memory-lane conversation with mum.
Time traveling backwards and talking the walk I once walked.
Gratitude seeping in and grateful for the runway I see in front of me.
Thinking about all that and coming into conclusion :-
Life never promised me a free meal, a reliable parachute for situation when I’d jump off the cliff, a charity ride when I had nothing on me (all metaphorically speaking).
Life taught me.
Easier said than done –but Never Give Up — having given up so many times on so many things.
To keep my feet on the ground and work my ass offffffff.
To expect not everything will go as expected.
To instigate risk taking and accept the result regardless of anticipation.
To look back only for lessons and sometimes grains of happiness here and there.
To learn to grow and to grow to learn some more.
To love unconditionally but with open eyes.
To respect any living and breathing.
To let go at times but appreciatively.
To be truthful.
To be honest.
To write.
To give permission to fall short but recover and reboot as early as possible but this time with wisdom oil for sure.
